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Part 5 of 6
Back To Square One
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Many of us step into a new year still carrying the weight of the last twelve months. It's not like there's a fresh restart—there's a carryover at times. You bring into the new year something in your hands: maybe a decision, maybe a pressure, or maybe a pain. We all have something we're holding.
I would encourage you to start the year off setting the precedent that you're going to lay all of that before the Lord and see what he can do in and through your life. Make this a special year with the Lord. Come what may, I'm guessing 2026 is going to be full of some miracles. I'm guessing it's going to be full of joy. I'm guessing we're going to see God do some really amazing things in our personal lives and our collective lives as a church family.
I also believe it's going to be a year of pain. You don't have to go looking for trouble—trouble knows where to find you. Someone in our church family will go through pain this year. Someone will endure loss and grief. We have to be a community that sits in the tension of joy and pain. Somehow God gives us the capacity of the heart to be sad and happy at the same time.
But the one thing we can anchor our confidence and resolve to is this: God is still good. He's still merciful. He's still on the throne.
I've got a story for us that we're celebrating in our house. On one of our Christmas services, our daughter had a pretty severe seizure that ended up in what would be the danger zone for us.
Well, prior to that moment, on April 1st, 2023, we got ourselves a puppy. Our kids had been begging us for a dog, and then my son saw a therapy dog at the children's hospital. He said, "Dad, we should get a dog and we could train her for Riley." I tend to get committed to things by ignorance—I won't even do my homework or count the cost. I'll just jump in.
We did an assessment online that said a miniature Aussie doodle would be the perfect fit for us. Now, I didn't realize how expensive the training was. I decided to start following YouTube channels and spend hours with this dog learning the qualifications to be certified. How do you get a dog on an airplane? So much of it has to do with logging hours and earning different certifications. I just started turning it into a game with my kids: "This week she has to go to three retail stores. This week she has to go to the office with me one day."
Here's the amazing part—she detected my daughter's seizure 30 seconds before it happened.
But it gets even better. It's really rare that our wives are ever in the back offices during a service, but during the Christmas services, that's the one time of year that happens. And just so happens, Pastor Joe Smith's wife is a nurse. Not only did our dog detect the seizure, there was a nurse within two feet of my daughter.
You see? Life isn't perfect. There are still hard things. But you can just sense the brush of heaven upon your life—He's still faithful. He's still good. He's still right there beside you. Somehow he's working it out in your life.
I just think this will be your best year of your life if it is your best year with the Lord. The beauty of the hope we have in Christ is you can literally step into every single year thinking, "This could be my best year ever, despite what comes my way." If this is my best year with the Lord, I do believe in some profound way this year will carry the most weight and add the most value.
I'd encourage you to jump into this year with some intentionality. Do not be lackadaisical. Do not be passive. Do not be approaching your faith in the same bored fashion maybe you've been approaching your faith.
What would it look like this year for you to ratchet up your faith? Man of God, woman of God, when was the last time you got a fire in your belly for the Lord—a passion and a desire to serve him faithfully? When was the last time you said, "I want to be in my word. I want to develop a discipline of prayer. I want to be a servant-minded individual. I want to be worshipful. I want to be integrated and immersed in biblical community. I want to taste and see and know for myself that the Lord is good"?
Sometimes the evidence you're looking for of God's work in your life is found on the other side of obedience. It's stepping out and saying, "God, I'm taking next steps in my faith this year."
Join a Life Group. What's the next step you need to take in your faith this year? Some of you, it has to be joining a life group. If not at Northview, go to a church where you like the people you're seated next to. This gathering is wonderful, but when you get in community with people who aren't always like you—when there's different generations represented—mentorship and all kinds of things begin to take place.
Get Baptized. Some of you need to get baptized. You need to enjoy and experience the moment of standing publicly in your faith and saying, "I'm with Christ. He's so wonderful." Some of you have been a follower of Christ for a long time. There's no judgment here—we exist to get shame off of people, not on them. Some of you have been saved for years and have never stood publicly in your faith and been baptized for the one who stood publicly on a cross for you. Do it this year. Not to check some superstitious religious box, but because it's meaningful.
If baptism still carries weight in your life to this day, wave at me—it's a meaningful experience.
I would encourage all of you—starting tomorrow, we are beginning our annual 21 days of prayer and fasting. We do this every single year. If you're part of Northview, you can always expect every January we will do 21 days of prayer and fasting.
Christ was so clear that the church, if anything, ought to be a house of prayer. There are times when scripture calls the people of God to pray and fast—to set aside and disconnect from the world so that you can reinforce your connection with the Lord.
Our discipleship team is so solid. They spend the week developing all these resources, content, curriculum, and things that can be found on the app. Throughout the 21 days of prayer and fasting, there will be all sorts of things you can engage with. Right now, you can go out and find resources to help inform what type of fast would be best for you. Do this with your kids. Give up video games for 21 days. Give up movies for 21 days. See what happens when you pay attention to the things taking up space in your life and how much space you don't create for the Lord. It will accelerate some things.
Join us for 21 days of prayer and fasting. It begins tomorrow. And here's the thing—don't overdo the pressure on this. If you mess up, just get back on the wagon and start praying. We're not here to police it. Just find it beneficial in your faith.
I've written a book—52 mini chapters on the central figures of the Bible. It's called A Cloud of Witnesses, based on the verse in Hebrews chapter 12: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, this multitude of saints who've gone before us, the heroes of scripture, the patriarchs and matriarchs and all the individuals who lay the foundation for our faith."
In many ways they witness to us. Their stories inspire us. Their stories inform how we also approach a life of faith. Yet simultaneously they stand or sit in the grandstand of heaven witnessing how we are going to steward our own lives. Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great great crowd of witnesses, what does scripture say? Let us run. Let us throw off everything that entangles us and let us run the race marked out for us.
My heart as your pastor is for you to gain a much better understanding of the overarching narrative of the Bible. Most people are so intimidated of the Bible. They think it's a weird novel. It's certainly not that. It is a library of 66 ancient books, multiple authors, different regions, different times. It's magnificent. But if you do not understand the overarching narrative, it's hard to make sense of it.
I think the best way to understand a story is to understand the individuals in the story. So every single week we are going to do a case study on the central figures of the Bible. I do want you to prioritize it. I think it will serve you well moving forward to think, "I know Ruth's story. I know Jacob's story. I know Rahab's story. I know David's story. I also know Lucifer's story and Judas's story." When you understand the narrative of the Bible, it comes to life.
Today we are going to start with the most important figure in the entire thing: God himself. You cannot call him a character because it doesn't do it justice. Yes, he's in the story, but he's also the author of the story. He's not just the author—he's the paper the story is being written on.
Without a doubt, for me this is my number one theological doctrine. If you want to get under the hood of your pastor, this is my number one "die for" belief. I believe in the Holy Trinity: one God existing in three distinct persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And I believe that without the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, all of Christianity and the goodness of the gospel completely unravels.
To dismiss this doctrine is significant. Sure, you may end up with something that feels spiritual, but it won't be Christian. This is the thing that creates the brilliant, comprehensible framework that facilitates and accomplishes the gospel.
Here's the statement: Without the Holy Trinity, the cross doesn't make sense. God the Father sends the Son. The Son submits and sacrifices his life. And the Holy Spirit—the same spirit that placed life in a virgin's womb—is the same spirit that raises that life back from the grave, leaving the tomb empty forever.
Sent. Sacrificed. Sealed. Three in one. It is magnificent. It is mysterious. And it is fascinating.
For the critic in the room, it is not frustrating. Sure, you're going to have some questions. And I will tell you this: if you walk into any space, any church—Northview included—or any life group, and you sit down with someone and they say, "Hey, let me just clue you in on this. I've got the Holy Trinity fully figured out"—you better run. You are talking to a cult leader.
This doctrine is our pillar, but it is also something that we hold with open hands. We grow into it. How many of you have kids who are just growing really fast? My son grew seven inches in 10 months. As a parent, when you have a child in that season, what do you do? You start buying things too big. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is like hooping in some big shoes. This is a theology that we grow into.
But I would rather have a theology that stretches my heart, stretches my mind, and fills me with a sense of awe and wonder than a stifling, claustrophobic theology that is restrictive to an awe-inspiring God that I can't fully wrap my mind around. The person who wants God to fully make sense is the person who is wanting God to be lesser than himself.
Scripture is full of places where it forces this framework of the Holy Trinity on us. The one I'm going to look at today is Matthew chapter 3, which is my favorite moment in the entire Bible. In my opinion, it's the greatest scene in the Bible.
Matthew 3:13-16: Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him saying, "I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me?" And Jesus replied, "Let it be so. It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." So John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. And at that moment, heaven was opened and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my son whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Folks, if Jesus was baptized, you should be baptized.
In that moment, you have the Holy Trinity on full display, center stage. At the same time, God the Son comes up out of the water, God the Father speaks down in this triumphant, proud voice, and God the Holy Spirit descends like a dove upon the Son. Godhead three in one—existing collectively, harmoniously, and represented in the same moment. It's a beautiful portrait of the Holy Trinity.
Here's the big idea, and I would bet my life on this: To know God truly is to know him as triune.
If you really want to know God and experience God, you need to know him as a holy, righteous, mighty, all-powerful, all-knowing Father. But if you want to experience God, you also have to know him as the humble, merciful, meek, sacrificial, compassionate, and forbearing Christ. And if you want to experience God, you have to know him as Spirit—the same spirit that raised Christ from the grave seals eternity within our hearts and empowers us.
That's where Christ says to his disciples, "Hey, I'm now going to go and this is good news." The disciples are surely thinking, "How is this good news? You leaving doesn't seem like a good idea, and the timing is off." He says, "No, this is good news because I am sending you a helper, an advocate, a comforter."
The good news of the Holy Spirit is this: Christ is saying, "I'm now going to go from walking beside you to indwelling within you." You give your life to Christ. You are sealed with the Holy Spirit. You now have the indwelling presence of God in your life.
This brings about theologically what is known as regeneration and maturation—where you take on the maturity of Christ. It's accompanied with conviction. It comes with an awareness and sensitivity to God's presence in your life. And it begins to empower you. God himself from the inside out empowers you to live beyond yourself as a reflection of Christ in the world.
Do you see how critically necessary each of the members are?
Here's the thing: it's not only our biggest doctrine, it's our biggest target. We believe in one God. You've got to hold that tightly. Other groups also believe in one God. Not many. The Jews and the Muslims believe in one God. The Muslim critic would say, "Well, we believe in one God. Clearly, you believe in three gods. That doesn't make sense." And that's where they will debate our faith on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
The Jehovah's Witness does the same thing. Anyone been blessed to have some super friendly Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons come to your doorstep? Don't hate these people. I love it when they come to my door. I'm like, "Man, I've been looking forward to this conversation."
I had this kid who was awesome. He was asking me questions about the Holy Trinity, and he's like, "It doesn't make sense. You believe in one God, but you believe in three gods." And he takes out a pen and writes down this equation.
He takes out a pen and writes down this equation, saying, "Sir, 1 + 1 + 1 = 3." I grabbed his notepad and said, "Yeah, but 1 × 1 × 1 equals 1. You just need to elevate your arithmetic."
That's a bit of a Bible juke you learn in seminary, but it really doesn't get the conversation anywhere meaningful. At some point, we can play with cute logical exercises to tease out the Trinity, or we can go to scripture and say, "What does God want me to understand about the Trinity?"
Here's what you have to understand: The Bible doesn't give us the Trinity philosophically. It gives us the Trinity biblically. We are given a biblical view of the Trinity, not a philosophical view.
When you're reading and you find a sentence that carries weight, you capture it. I have four quotes from theologians that have really shaped my thinking about the Trinity. Before we jump into them, understand this key: if you're going to have a solid faith, incorporate "is" and "is not" language into your explanations of what you believe.
You have to have an "is" and "is not" language. Does that make sense?
Sinclair Ferguson said: "The Trinity is the grammar of the gospel."
What was your first word? If it was "mom," wave at me. "Dad"? How about "ball"? Most people's first words are nouns—mom, dad, ball. A ball is a thing. Person, place, or thing is the rule we were taught.
When you first said the word, you didn't think about it being a noun. You just said it. Well, that's what Sinclair Ferguson is saying. The Trinity is the grammar of the gospel. You learn grammar after you learn how to learn language. You're using nouns, verbs, adjectives before someone teaches you sentence structure. And why do you need grammar? Because if you lose grammar, language loses its meaning. The meaning collapses.
So what Ferguson is saying is we gain a doctrine of the Trinity through the biblical narrative—not as a philosophical explanation, but as a story of a relational God who reveals himself in this way. After the story of redemption, the promise fulfilled, the defeated cross, and the empty grave, you stand back and think, "How?" Well, the Father sent the Son and the Spirit raised him back to life. The three of them worked in tandem.
Scripture does not define the Trinity. It demands it. Scripture doesn't come out and say, "Hey, let me explain God to you." He's a better Father than that.
Think about conversations you've had with your kids. You never sit down and say, "Hey, you're seven years old. It's about time you know my blood type. Let me explain the condition of my liver." You don't have those conversations. You say, "Let's go play ball. Help me pick these weeds." And your kid sees how you react when you stub your toe. They see how you respond to their mom when she asks for help. They learn character on the fly in a relationship with their father.
Some of you want God to be more boring than he is. You want him to come to you in a recipe. But he comes to you in a relationship—a brilliant, harmonious, eternal, self-giving relationship.
I have an obsession with triangles. Since I've been here, I reorganized our entire team—hundreds of people—around a triangle diagram. Our whole collaborative strategic planning model is called the triangle offense, a nod to Phil Jackson, the coach of the Lakers.
The reason I think triangles are cool: the triangle is the strongest shape. It is mutually supportive. This God stands head and shoulders above anything else. He's the strongest God, and he is mutually supportive. He did not create you and me because he needed relationship and was alone. No, he was fully content for all of eternity with himself. You and I are the byproduct and the overflow of eternal love.
Kevin DeYoung said: "The Trinity is not an optional doctrine for advanced Christians. It is Christianity."
You don't graduate into the Trinity. No, you're baptized into it. You give your life to Christ. You step into the waters of baptism and you are immersed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Right away—right away—you're integrated into this brilliant framework that facilitates our faith and relationship with God.
The Trinity protects us from a shallow view of God. If you reduce him, you lose so much of what makes him distinct and unique in our life.
Martin Luther said: "God does not reveal himself in order to satisfy reason but to awaken faith."
The theological term is revelation—God makes himself known in the garden and throughout all of history. He's revealing himself to us. He wants us to know who he is. But Martin Luther says he doesn't reveal himself to satisfy our reasoning. He reveals himself to awaken faith.
Not so we think, "Oh, well that makes sense." But so we think, "Wow. Amazing. Unbelievable. Breathtaking. Mesmerizing. Magnificent. Incomprehensible." That's what we should be arriving at—not, "Oh, I've got it figured out. Listen to this YouTube video that explains the whole thing."
At some point, get out of the kiddie pool and dive deep into the greatness and the wonder and the pleasure of this almighty triune God.
God's revelation is relational. It's not informational. You get to know your Father by hanging out with him, not by attending a seminar where someone teaches you about him. He reveals himself so we can know him, not just know about him. You're not an orphan. You do not have to live wondering who your Father is. You can have a personal relationship.
Faith is the goal. Reasoning is the servant. To my agnostic friends in the room, I get it. There are so many things philosophically and scientifically you want to pick apart and be critical about. I'm just telling you: you are settling, restricting, holding back because you can't get past the fact that this God might be quite a bit bigger and more brilliant than you could ever be. For prideful people, it's hard to accept this.
When it comes to the Trinity, we're always looking for an analogy. Some of you were taught about Neapolitan ice cream—vanilla, chocolate, strawberry. Others learned about the egg: the shell, the yolk, and the egg whites. Some say water—it can be liquid, solid (ice), or vapor (gas).
No illustration is perfect. Hold this stuff with open hands. Sometimes we get so married to our way of explaining things that we become dogmatic about the wrong things.
You can think of the sun. We derive light from it, heat, and energy. By the sun you see. By the sun you feel warmth. By the sun all sorts of wonderful things are made possible.
But here's one related to music. A chord is made up of three distinct notes. When you play them individually, they're quite boring. But when you press them all at the same time—that's a chord. Those three distinct notes, when they are in sync and pressed together, it's different. It's completely different.
I really want you to encounter God this year. Some of you hang around Christian spaces long enough and you start to fall into the motions. We talk a lot about Christians being born again. We don't talk enough about the ones who look bored again. Some of you look absolutely bored in your faith.
What would it look like this year for you to stop viewing this as an educational experience and maybe view it more like an adventure in community, growing in your relationship with God? I pray that as you open your life to Christ in this season, you feel the press of this triune God we're in relationship with.
When it comes to the Holy Trinity, most people don't struggle with the idea of God the Father. Most people love and embrace God the Son. But it's God the Holy Spirit that gets neglected. It's the one that's harder to explain, the one that gets more mysterious.
Here's my question: Which was more catalytic in the life of the disciples? Was it the resurrection when Jesus came back to life, or was it Pentecost—the arrival of the Holy Spirit?
In Acts 2, here's what you discover: Jesus comes back to life, and where are the disciples? Hiding. Afraid. Timid. Ashamed. Jesus says, "Good news. I'm going to the Father. I'm sending a helper and an advocate. I'm sending the Holy Spirit."
The Holy Spirit shows up. The disciples receive the Holy Spirit. Peter walks out into the city. Just days before, a teenage girl asked him, "Were you with Jesus?" And he didn't have the courage to say yes in the presence of a teenage girl. Days later, he walks out into the city and begins to boldly profess and declare the gospel. Thousands of people that day give their life to Christ and are baptized.
You have to ask: What happened in Peter's life? He went from coward to Rambo in days. It wasn't the resurrection. He was still cowardly after seeing Jesus in the flesh. But when the Holy Spirit showed up, all bets were off.
I know for some of you, the idea of the Holy Spirit might be very foreign territory. But I am convinced that if you were to open your life fully to God himself—Father, Son, and Spirit, not neglecting this third person of the Holy Trinity—you would truly experience the indwelling, regenerating, empowering work of God in and through your life. And you will get to know him even when you can't always explain him.
To know God truly is to know him as triune. I want you to sincerely receive the Holy Spirit this year to the same measure that you received the Father and the Son. They are equally God. The Holy Spirit is a game changer.
